A NEET’s Guide to the Parallel World: Healer, the Strongest Cheat?

Chapter 89: Lies and facts

Youre master right? Are you my master? Is the sermon over?

Why is this demon calling me Master?

You! Are you.

Hey master.. could you close the door for now?

Hmm? .ah, y-yeah.

I closed the door like I was asked, should I have knocked? No, you normally wouldnt expect a demon to be in the bathroom would you? I feel like the tension which was high before had been completely dissolved.

Can you wait in the living room?

I heard its voice through the door.

Yyeah.

I turned towards the living room and noticed that the other three had their noses pinched.

Hey. Who is that?

I had to agree with them that when I opened the door there was quite the otherworldly smell

A dirty old man!

Nem was swaying on her feet as she said this causing Sufilia to be unable to repress a smile.

I understand what you mean but, lets wait in the living room for now.

The three of them walked to the living room still pinching their noses.

The four of us sat down on the sofa in front of the TV and waited for the demon. Although I couldnt tell you why we were waiting.

After a while we heard the sound of running water and the living room door opened to reveal a large man with horns.

Its the dirty old man.

Nem said the same thing to his face.

Hey cat girl, could you not call me a dirty old man? Im protecting this world everyday by disposing of bad guys through my butthole like that everyday.

Really?

No..

What?

He sat down on the sofa opposite us and lit a cigarette.

So, how was the dungeon master?

First, whats with this Master business? I have a wand that calls me the same thing?

Hm? Or right this is the first time youve met me in this form.

He took a puff of the cigarette.

Master, I am Belphegor, this is my true body.

Youre.bell?

Bell, the name of the statue at the tip of the wand thst I got for inverting [saints wrath].

More importantly master, did you ignore my advice and doubt the abyss?

Bell was glaring at me.

You know?

Of course I do, Im masters other half.

Other half? What do you mean other half?

Uhm, do you know this guy?

Toa jumped into the conversation.

Hmm? Yeah this is Bell, although its my first time meeting him as well.

First time meeting him, yet you know him?

Well, lots of things happened.

I told Toa about the wand.

So, this guy is the statue at the end of the wand.

More or less

Toa and the other two seemed to relax as though they were convinced.

For the time being Im not able to confirm whether or not youre actually Bell, but why are you here?

Thats a difficult question. Ive been here from the beginning I guess? Anyway forget about that right now, lets get rid if that puss from the abyss that master swallowed.

Huh? pus.

Yeah, you ignored my advice and have been swallowed by the abyss a little. As you are now I can still bring you back, which is the roll of the other half to begin with.

Wait a moment, whats this other half youve been talking about. And Ive been swallowed?

Ill answer later, for now hold out your hands.

Hold out my hands?

Yeah.

I held my hand out and Bell put his over my palms.

By the way Bell did you wash your hands?

No..

Bell stood up quietly and walked towards the kitchen.

Geez, who knew master was a germaphobe.

Bell washed his hands obediently.

Dirty old man.

Nem again.

Stop calling me that, I wash my hands like this everyday to wash away the dirty human filth.

Another lie?

Well. Yeah.

Bell finished washing his hands and sat back down. Then I put my hands back out and so did he.

And? What do we do?

Master doesnt have to do anything. This is something only I can do.

At that moment I felt something inside me that couldnt be expressed through words.

Its ok now.

We both lowered our hands.

But dont doubt the abyss again! I can remove the pus as much as I want but if youre completely swallowed I cant do anything.

Youve said that before, what does it mean? Ive also heard that those swallowed by the abyss lose the ones they love?

Lose the ones they love? Who told you that? .oh probably some human huh.

Bell looks at me as if convinced of something.

If youre swallowed by the abyss you lose your personality.

Lose my personality?

Yeah, we half bodies call them the fools of the abyss. Those that are swallowed cant differentiate between friend or foe and they end up attacking everyone.

Hmm? Fool of the abyss? Wait a minute isnt that anyone who deals with the abyss?

Huh? What are you talking about? A fool is a fool? Its someone whos been completely swallowed by the abyss.

After saying that Bell smiled.

Some human again? Looks like some human misunderstood and told you that huh?

Actually its what I heard from the black dragon.

I heard it from the black dragon, along with the tale of Adams Rad Polifia.

Folklore huh? What is it?

Its said that those who touch the abyss lose their lifespan, those who are swallowed by the abyss lose their beloved and those who fall into the abyss lose their freedom. The dragon said that those who ignore this warning and touch the abyss are called the fools of the abyss.

Bell thought about it as he touched his beard.

Well, it might not be totally wrong. If you lose your personality you wouldnt remember who you loved would you?

Wellthats true I guess but, what about the other two?

Im not sure but, if he ask me he probably saw the final destination of the abyss.

Finally destination?

Yeah, he himself was either swallowed by the abyss or he saw someone who had been. I cant say for certain though.

He doesnt seem to know about the other two.

I see.

Bell stood up and went to the kitchen.

By the way master, have you not had anything to eat or drink since youve been here? Did you want something?

Bell asked as he opened the fridge.

Do you have anything to drink?

Snack bags and empty beer cans are scattered around everywhere.

Of course, this is masters house isnt it? What do you remember your house having?

Huh? My house? I mean it certainly looks like my house.

No, the dungeon itself is masters home. Like me it was born into the world when the abyss began to reside in master so that you and your other half could meet. Thats the dungeon.

Hmm?

What? Do you not understand?

The dungeon is my home? A dungeon, full of monsters and treasure chests?

As masters other half I know what master is thinking. Itd be better if you moved away from that stereotype. Its just something that was decided by the people of this world. The dungeon is where the kings candidate lives. Its a bridge for the candidate to meet his other half.

Bell is saying things as if they were obvious.

Then why was my old school and house in here and why did you ask me so many questions?

Because master was swallowed by the abyss. I said it was a bad idea, did the dungeon do it without permission?

Without permission? .the dungeon has a will?

What are you talking about? Both I and the dungeon are a part of Master. And just like me the dungeon has a will.

Bell pulled out as much beer from the fridge as he could but, Im honestly still confused.

Is it that hard to understand? Must be masters bad habit. Youve said it before right? Its a fantasy so anything can happen, well this is fantasy to.

Bell opened a beer and laughed.

Are you watching everything?

I saw it on TV. Well, all the information is shared so, I dont actually need to see it.

You probably knew everything before I came here but you saw a lot huh.

Quite a bit.

My left eye glowed red, do you know anything about it?

Toa also paid close attention to this.

Of course I know, its proof that youve grown accustomed to the abyss.

For some reason Bell seemed happy as he said this.